Monday, May 18, 2009

Aural Fixations

This post is dedicated to Kimberly, not only for her request of the subject, but also to show her that I do not intend to reserve this blog for strictly serious topics.

This, for those of you who do not watch American Idol out of principle, lack of time, or complete disinterest, is Adam Lambert--one of two remaining contestants on the show. I must confess--to my certain embarrassment--that he is the reason I have found little coherent to say on my blog for more than a month. The majority of my internet time has been devoted to scouring YouTube for examples of his flamboyant brilliance or reading articles analyzing his voice, his lifestyle, and his fashion sense. I am, in a word, addicted.

In my own feeble defense, I must say that Adam has one of the finest voices I have ever heard. His range is mind-boggling and his tone is exquisite. He has such control that he can move from chest voice to head voice to falsetto or from soft to loud with no hint of a transition. The timbre of his voice is versatile enough to adapt seamlessly to any vocal style (okay, maybe not country) without losing its distinctive qualities.

Of course, Mr. Lambert has plenty to appeal to the fangirl in me, too. His pretty mouth, piercing eyes (guyliner and all), the wild hair, and the expressive hands (with or without fingerless gloves and nail polish) make him the picture of lovely decadence. And the way he moves and presents himself onstage exude a sensual charisma that is as much a part of his singing as his voice itself.

It is, perhaps, this sensuality that has been the most polarizing thing about him as an American Idol contestant. Those who hate him have called him over-the-top and theatrical, accusing him of acting a role rather than delivering a sincere performance. I understand that it's probably a simple matter of personal taste, but to me there is nothing more goosebump-inducing than a singer who can embrace the character of a song without inhibition or reserve. Give me the passion and angst of a committed performer willing to hold nothing back with the skills to deliver it like it's the most important emotion of his life.

Tomorrow night is the Idol finale and I will be devotedly voting my little fingers to the bone, because that's the kind of girl I am and because it feels great to be so obsessed, I mean, inspired. :-)

Clay and now Adam? lol You are a woman of many tastes Jennifer. I have to admit I have not followed this Idol as much as the other seasons but the 3 or so that I have seen have blown me away. There was amazing talent this season. I am sure we will see more artists from this season recieve record deals than we have in the past.

Rachelle, they are two entirely different creatures, aren't they? I have to say, when I was following Clay I always found myself saying how he wasn't my normal taste. I have never said that about Adam. So now you know where my true inclinations lie, I guess. ;-)

I followed the last 6 competitions and was impressed by the men this year. They all have their own style and tone, and look (handsome and lovely to watch). Adam is amazing as all get out! Wild and yet allows the viewer to see how he tames his inner beast! Jenn you rock!

About Me

I'm a married, stay-at-home mom of three boys. After venturing out into the great wide world, I came to realize that I have a rural personality. I love solitude, though homeschooling my boys doesn't afford me too much of it. From a complicated teen with autism, to my deep-thinking pre-teen, down to my boisterous, blue-eyed toddler, my children fill my world.